Also called: Also called: Discoid lupus, SLE, Subacute cutaneous lupus, Systemic lupus erythematosus
If you have lupus, your immune system attacks healthy cells and tissues by mistake. This can damage your joints, skin, blood vessels and organs. There are many kinds of lupus. The most common type, systemic lupus erythematosus, affects many parts of the body. Discoid lupus causes a rash that doesn't go away. Subacute cutaneous lupus causes sores after being out in the sun. Another type can be caused by medication. Neonatal lupus, which is rare, affects newborns.
Anyone can get lupus, but women are most at risk. Lupus is also more common in African American, Hispanic, Asian and Native American women. The cause of lupus is not known.
Lupus has many symptoms. Some common ones are
- Joint pain or swelling
- Muscle pain
- Fever with no known cause
- Red rashes, often on the face (also called the "butterfly rash")
There is no one test to diagnose lupus, and it may take months or years to make the diagnosis. There is no cure for lupus, but medicines and lifestyle changes can help control it.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
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Lupus
(Patient Education Institute) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/lupus/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/lupusspanish/htm/index.htm -
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
(National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases) - http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Lupus/default.asp
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What Is Lupus?
(National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases) - http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Lupus/lupus_ff.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.niams.nih.gov/Portal_En_Espanol/Informacion_de_Salud/Lupus/default.asp
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Do I Have Lupus?(National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases) - http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Lupus/do_i_have_lupus.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.niams.nih.gov/Portal_En_Espanol/Informacion_de_Salud/Lupus/tengo_lupus_espanol.asp
- Lupus(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/lupus/DS00115/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
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Lupus: Patient Information(National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases) - http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Lupus/Lupus_Guide/chapter_7.asp
- People With Lupus Often Have Poor Sense of Smell(05/08/2009, Reuters Health) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_84056.html
- Birth Control Pills Linked to Lupus Risk(04/09/2009, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_82748.html
- Gene May Explain Women's Heightened Lupus Risk(04/02/2009, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_82471.html
- ANA (Antinuclear Antibody Test)(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/ana/test.html
- Diagnosing Lupus(Lupus Foundation of America) - http://www.lupus.org/webmodules/webarticlesnet/templates/new_learndiagnosing.aspx?articleid=2239&zoneid=524
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Laboratory Tests for Lupus(Lupus Foundation of America) - http://www.lupus.org/webmodules/webarticlesnet/templates/new_learndiagnosing.aspx?articleid=2242&zoneid=524
Also available in Spanish http://www.lupus.org/webmodules/webarticlesnet/templates/new_aboutlanguages.aspx?articleid=393&zoneid=21
- What Are the Symptoms of Lupus(Lupus Foundation of America) - http://www.lupus.org/webmodules/webarticlesnet/templates/new_learnunderstanding.aspx?articleid=2235&zoneid=523
- Medications to Treat Lupus Symptoms(Lupus Foundation of America) - http://www.lupus.org/webmodules/webarticlesnet/templates/new_learntreating.aspx?articleid=2246&zoneid=525
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Thunder God Vine(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/tgvine/
- Depression(Lupus Foundation of America) - http://www.lupus.org/webmodules/webarticlesnet/templates/new_learnliving.aspx?articleid=2256&zoneid=527
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Psychosocial Aspects of Lupus(National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases) - http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Lupus/Lupus_Guide/chapter_6.asp
- Understanding Lupus(Lupus Foundation of America) - http://www.lupus.org/webmodules/webarticlesnet/templates/new_learnunderstanding.aspx?articleid=2231&zoneid=523
- Discoid Lupus Erythematosus(American Osteopathic College of Dermatology) - http://www.aocd.org/skin/dermatologic_diseases/discoid_lupus_eryt.html
- Forms of Lupus(Lupus Foundation of America) - http://www.lupus.org/webmodules/webarticlesnet/templates/new_learnunderstanding.aspx?articleid=2234&zoneid=523
- Antiphospholipid Antibodies(Lupus Foundation of America) - http://www.lupus.org/webmodules/webarticlesnet/templates/new_learnaffects.aspx?articleid=2302&zoneid=526
- Exercise and Movement(Lupus Foundation of America) - http://www.lupus.org/webmodules/webarticlesnet/templates/new_learnliving.aspx?articleid=2253&zoneid=527
- How Lupus Affects the Body(Lupus Foundation of America) - http://www.lupus.org/webmodules/webarticlesnet/templates/new_learnaffects.aspx?articleid=2268&zoneid=526
- Immune System and Its Link to Rheumatic Diseases(American College of Rheumatology) - http://www.rheumatology.org/public/factsheets/diseases_and_conditions/immunesystem.asp
- Infections(Lupus Foundation of America) - http://www.lupus.org/webmodules/webarticlesnet/templates/new_learnliving.aspx?articleid=2254&zoneid=527
- Lupus and the Skin(American Academy of Dermatology) - http://www.aad.org/public/publications/pamphlets/common_lupus.html
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Lupus Nephritis(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/lupusnephritis/
- Lupus: Can It Cause Hair Loss?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/lupus/AN01876/METHOD=print
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Neurological Sequelae of Lupus(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/lupus/lupus.htm
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What People with Lupus Need to Know about Osteoporosis(National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases) - http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Bone/Osteoporosis/Conditions_Behaviors/osteoporosis_lupus.asp
- Discoid Lupus Erythematosus(Logical Images) - http://www.visualdxhealth.com/adult/discoidLupusErythematosus.htm
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosus(Logical Images) - http://www.visualdxhealth.com/adult/systemicLupusErythematosus.htm
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Lupus(Patient Education Institute) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/lupus/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/lupusspanish/htm/index.htm
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Lupus Erythematosus, Discoid(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Lupus+Erythematosus,+Discoid%22
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Lupus+Erythematosus,+Systemic%22
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Scientists Identify Possible Lupus Susceptibility Gene(National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases) - http://www.niams.nih.gov/News_and_Events/Spotlight_on_Research/2006/lupus_susceptibility_gene.asp
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Scientists Discover Interactions of Different Immune Cell Populations in Lupus(National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases) - http://www.niams.nih.gov/News_and_Events/Spotlight_on_Research/2009/immune_cell_lupus.asp
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Kallikreins and lupus nephritis. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19348047&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Kallikrein genes are associated with lupus and glomerular basement membrane-specific... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19307730&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Identification and characterization of a human CD5+ pre-naive B cell... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19299709&tool=MedlinePlus
- Lupus -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=lupus+erythematosus,systemic[majr]+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+(jsubsetk[text]+OR+review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text])+NOT+(editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt]+OR+letter[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Cutaneous and discoid lupus -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=lupus+erythematosus,cutaneous[majr]+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- American College of Rheumatology: Geographic Membership Directory(American College of Rheumatology) - http://www.rheumatology.org/directory/geo.asp
- Lupus Foundation of America Chapter Locator(Lupus Foundation of America) - http://www.lupus.org/webmodules/webarticlesnet/templates/new_empty.aspx?articleid=277&zoneid=76
- Alliance for Lupus Research - http://www.lupusresearch.org/
- Lupus Foundation of America - http://www.lupus.org/
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National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases - http://www.niams.nih.gov/
Also available in Spanish http://www.niams.nih.gov/Portal_En_Espanol/
- Arthritis Types: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE or Lupus)(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/arthritis/lupus.htm
- Eliminate Disparities in Lupus(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/omhd/AMH/factsheets/lupus.htm
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For Parents of Children Living with Lupus(Lupus Foundation of America) - http://www.lupus.org/webmodules/webarticlesnet/templates/new_learnparents.aspx?articleid=2356&zoneid=530
Also available in Spanish http://www.lupus.org/webmodules/webarticlesnet/templates/new_aboutlanguages.aspx?articleid=398&zoneid=21
- Life with Lupus(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/kid/health_problems/bone/life_with_lupus.html
- Living with Lupus(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/arthritis/lupus.html
- Lupus(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/bones/lupus.html
- Men and Lupus(Lupus Foundation of America) - http://www.lupus.org/webmodules/webarticlesnet/templates/new_learnmen.aspx?articleid=109&zoneid=529
- Pregnancy & Rheumatic Disease(American College of Rheumatology) - http://www.rheumatology.org/public/factsheets/diseases_and_conditions/pregnancy.asp
- Pregnancy and Lupus(Lupus Foundation of America) - http://www.lupus.org/webmodules/webarticlesnet/templates/new_learncoping.aspx?articleid=2357&zoneid=528
- Late Onset Lupus(Lupus Foundation of America) - http://www.lupus.org/webmodules/webarticlesnet/templates/new_aboutindividualized.aspx?articleid=111&zoneid=18
- Immune System - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/immunesystem.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Lupus is the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases - http://www.niams.nih.gov/